March 20, 2020
Important Update: COVID-19
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and the resulting closures of branches and the need to self-isolate the following temporary changes to the General By-Laws (GBLs) have been approved by DEC on 20 Mar 20:
Article 129 – Fund Raising
Section 129 of the GBLs is rescinded in its entirely effective immediately and until further notice.
Article 308.d. - Complaint Hearing Timelines
Effective immediately, all current and new complaints will be held in abeyance and GBL 308.d is amended to remove the 45 day requirement.
Article 6 - Branch Elections
Branch elections are often held in the spring, with the new executive taking office in early summer. Branch closures have impacted the branch election process. As a result Branch elections and transitions to a new executive, and branch by-laws / regulations pertaining to branch elections, are suspended pending a return to normal branch operations.
Article 919 - Dominion Convention Resolution Deadline
The current due date for receipt of Dominion Convention resolutions at Dominion Command is 3 May. This provides time for review by the respective DC Committee and for the resolution to be included in the Convention Reports and Resolutions book, which must be printed and mailed to all branches 6 weeks prior to convention (GBL 919.e). Resolutions received at DC after the 3 May deadline are considered as late resolutions (GBL 919.d); those of a routine nature will be returned to Provincial Commands and urgent resolutions will be reviewed and considered. With branch closures, this 3 May deadline is now unmanageable for those branches that intended to submit resolutions. As a result the deadline date for submission of Dominion Convention resolutions remains unchanged, with all resolutions received after that date considered as late resolutions. HOWEVER, all late resolutions will receive consideration at the pre-convention DEC meeting and none will be returned in advance of that meeting for being routine.